Simulation of the impact of climate change on the current building's residential envelope thermal transfer value (ETTV) regulation in Singapore

Abstract

Buildings have time-varying interactions with local climate condition for its heating or cooling systems; changes on the surrounding climate condition affects building energy consumption. Building envelope therefore plays a critical role in reducing heat gained/lost, thus energy consumption. Singapore's building regulations currently requires new residential buildings to have a minimum envelope thermal transfer value of 25 W/m 2 base on the Residential Envelope Transmittance Value (RETV) formula. However, as ambient temperature continues rising with global warming, buildings designed under these criteria might be affected in terms of thermal performance. This paper presents the potential impacts of climate change on building energy consumption, in terms of RETV parameter. Existing local weather data is modified using CCWorldWeatherGen, and entered into TAS building energy simulation. Results showed that there is an increase in building energy consumption of 54 and 75 in 2080 for point and slab block respectively. Hence, current RETV regulations may have to be revised in the future. © 2012 ASCE.